By Darlene Brace
Are you hungry for a gyro or chicken souvlaki? Well, when it’s Father’s Day Weekend, Jamestown residents know that it’s time for the annual Yassou Festival that takes place each June at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Francis Street. The Greek community puts on a great event for anyone that wants to celebrate their Greek heritage with them. When you attend this festival, you will be immersed in the culture of the Greek community, including delicious food, music, and comradery. This year’s Yassou Festival will be held Friday, June 13th from 11am-10pm, and Saturday, June 14th from 11am-9pm.
You can’t miss the enormous tent that will be set up in front of the church. Inside the tent, there will be rows of tables and chairs that can accommodate hundreds of people. To the side of the seating area, food stations that will tempt you with the delicious Greek cuisine that is the highlight of the festival. The Greek food is all homemade by the members of the Greek community. Delicious souvlaki on a stick, gyro sandwiches, spanakopita, Greek hotdogs, and Greek salad are among the choices. Don’t eat too much so you can indulge in some baklava, Rizogalo, cookies, and sweet breads for dessert.
Passed the seating area, there’s a large space where the music and dance performances will take place. The Greek dances display some of the history and meaning behind them and it’s always evident that the crowd is really enjoys seeing the younger members interpret the dances with such enthusiasm. This year the dancers will be dancing to live Bouzouki music by The Aegeans at 5pm and 8pm on Friday evening and Saturday at 1pm, 5pm, and 8pm.
There will be a beer tent located in a smaller tent outside of the large tent. Here adults can socialize and enjoy a selection of adult beverages such as beer, wine and seltzers. As the evening goes on, this area becomes quite busy, and you are likely to see many people you know if you are from the Jamestown area.
behind them and it’s always evident that the crowd is really
enjoys seeing the younger members interpret the dances
with such enthusiasm. This year the dancers will be dancing
to live Bouzouki music by The Aegeans at 5pm and 8pm on
Friday evening and Saturday at 1pm, 5pm, and 8pm.
The Yassou Festival takes place on the church grounds, where it first started in 1982 under the leadership of Father Nicholas Rafael. He was instrumental in organizing the first Yassou festival along with other community members that helped organize it. It has been an ongoing annual festival since then, (except for 2 years during the Covid pandemic).
Since 2022, Alexis (Theofilactidis) Singleton has been the chairperson of the event. She has a long history of involvement, having participated as a child in helping her parents, family, and church members organize and operate this event. Over the years, she learned how to organize and run the festival.
Alexis expressed her excitement, stating, “We look forward to welcoming the entire community to a big, fat Greek party in our front yard! The Yassou Festival gives our parish the opportunity to share our cultural heritage and faith while supporting St. Nicholas Church. Each year, we celebrate the joy of the Greek spirit and hospitality under the tent. We hope people enjoy being immersed in our cultural event and look forward to returning each year. Many of our children are involved in the festival and are inspired to carry on the tradition of Yassou in the future.” She also extended her gratitude to the community of volunteers who assist with the festival each year, emphasizing that it takes teamwork to bring the festival together.
You can enjoy this festival where the admission is just $3 per person, and kids under 12 get in for free. They are excited to share that wait times to enter and grab some delicious food are quicker and more efficient than before. If you can’t stay for all the fun activities but still want to enjoy the tasty cuisine, no problem. All food is available to-go. Just let the people at the entrance know, and you won’t need to pay to get in. For more information about the Yassou Festival, feel free to check them out on Facebook or visit www.yassoufestival.com.
The Yassou Festival is such an amazing event that brings the community together. It’s a delight to savor the tasty authentic Greek food, soak in the lively music, and watch the captivating performances from the Greek dancers. Come and immerse yourself in the vibrant Greek culture for the day, as there’s so much to enjoy at the Yassou Festival!